Method of reducing metal-bearing materials.



UNITED STATES PATENT oririon.

AXEL H. I-lELANDER, OF PUEBLO, COLORAD O. 7

METHOD OF REDUCING METAL-BEARING MATERIALS.

' Specification Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed December 26. 1905. Serial ITov 293.414;

- lowing is a specification.

, and of introducing the same into a furnace to This invention relatesto a method of reducing flue-dust, fine ores, and concentratesaccomplish such reduction.

My method consists 1n mlxing the fine metallic oxids, ores, orconcentrates with liquid or semiliquid material, preferably onecontaining fuel values, to which mixture .may also be addedfinely-divided solid fuel, such as coke-breeze, together with fluxingmatethe blast-furnace.

rial. The moistening materials may comprise tar, oil, or other liquid orsemi'hquid substances containing carbon, and the mixing may precede orbe coincident with the introduction of the plastic or viscous mass intoFor example, the mixed materials may be charged in the form of a pasteor balls with the other burden in the usual manner, may be injected by apump, notch-gun, or mud-gun}? at about the level of the furnace-mantle,or the solid and liquid particles may be supplied from se arate sources,mixed at the injectin -nozz es, and driven into the furnace by a b astsufficiently strong-to overcome theinside pres sure of the furnace, theobject bein in every case to supply the mixed materia in such conditionas to prevent its being carried out of the furnace, unreduced, by theair-blast.

In whatever manner introduced the material will melt and begin to reduceto the metallic form soon after entering the furnace, thus solidifyingto such an extent as not to be car.- ried out at the top of the furnace.

If injected either above or belowvthe mantle, the mixed materials arepreferably supplied through a plurality .of nozzles spaced equallyaround the furnace, such nozzles being of refractory material or ofmetal, with water-cooling i ackets of any Well-known form.

. By the term viscous mixture, as used in the clalms, I mean a mixture.having such a degree of viscosity or plasticity as'not to be capable ofretaining its shape for a prolonged period of time, such as would benecessary in molding and charging the same in the shape of bricks orblocks.

All apparatus for carrying out my method is well known in metallurgy,and it is not deemed necessary to further describe or illus- T trate it.Many changes may .be made in such apparatus, the method of mixing, andthe propor-' tions of the metal-bearing, fuel-bearing, and

'fiuxing materials without departing from my invention, since What Iclaim is 1. The method herein described of reducing metal-bearingmaterials, which consists in forming a viscous mixture thereof withfuel-bearing material and injecting said mixture into areducing-furnace; substantially as described. r

2. The method herein described of reducing metal-bearing materials,which consists in forming a viscous mixture thereof with fuel-bearingmaterial and introducing said mixture into a blast-furnace at or abovethe zone of fusion; substantially as described.

3. The method herein described of reduc- 7 ing metal-bearing materials,which consists in forming a viscous mixture thereof with fuel-bearing,and fluxing materials and mj ecting said viscous mixture into ablast-furnace atsubstantially the zone of fusion, sub stantially asdescribed.

4. The method herein described of reducing metal-bearing materials whichconsists m simultaneously forming and injectin into a reducing-furnace aviscous mixture 0 metalbearing and fuel-bearing materials; substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnessesr W..EDWARD BERG,

. Jonn F. BIRD.

AxEL H. HELANDER.

